Jagannath Temple sets new record with donations of over Rs 10.9 lakh on New Year’s Day

Bhubaneswar, Jan 2: The Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha, achieved a remarkable milestone on New Year’s Day, receiving a total of Rs 10,94,074 in donations. In addition to cash contributions, devotees generously offered 300 mg of gold and 33.5 grams of silver ornaments in the temple's Hundi (donation box).

This year, the temple experienced an extraordinary influx of over 5 lakh pilgrims, all seeking the blessings of Lord Jagannath.

Temple officials confirmed that the donations collected this year have set a new record for New Year's Day contributions. Typically, the temple sees donations ranging from Rs 4 to 5 lakh on regular days, with amounts increasing during festive seasons.

Previously, Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan reported to the assembly that the temple had garnered donations totaling Rs 113.02 crore over the past three financial years. This included Rs 40.61 crore from donation boxes, Rs 59.79 crore through bank accounts, and Rs 12.60 crore from other sources between 2021-22 and 2023-24. The highest annual donation was Rs 50.80 crore in 2022-23, followed by Rs 44.90 crore in 2023-24 and Rs 17.31 crore in 2021-22.